Resources

Links for resources and supplemental information from the district counseling staff and our Slingerlands staff team are listed below.

Slingerlands Counseling Staff Information:

  • Grace McDermott– School Counselor – gmcdermott@bethlehemschools.org

  • Jackie Gaffney – School Social Worker – jgaffney@bethlehemschools.org

  • Maureen Cohan – School Psychologist – mcohan@bethlehemschools.org


Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD by Eli R. Lebowitz

Parenting an anxious child means facing constant challenges and questions: When should parents help children avoid anxiety-provoking situations, and when should they encourage them to face their fears? How can parents foster independence while still supporting their children? How can parents reduce the hold their child's anxiety has taken over the entire family? Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD: A Scientifically Proven Program for Parents is the first and only book to provide a completely parent-based treatment program for child and adolescent anxiety. Parents will learn how to alleviate their children's anxiety by changing the way they themselves respond to their children's symptoms--importantly, parents are not required to impose changes on their children's behavior. Instead, parents are shown how to replace their own accommodating behaviors (which allow anxiety to flourish) with supportive responses that demonstrate both acceptance of children's difficulties and confidence in their ability to cope. From understanding child anxiety and OCD, to learning how to talk with an anxious child, to avoiding common traps and pitfalls (such as being overly protective or demanding) to identifying the ways in which parents have been enabling a child's anxious behaviors, this book is full of detailed guidance and practical suggestions. Worksheets are included to help parents translate the book's suggestions into action, and the book's compassionate and personable tone will make it a welcoming resource for any concerned parent.

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other booksellers.

Stress Management for Families

Presentation by Ms. McDermott at the March 2022 PTO meeting. Click here to view the presentation slides.

Mental Health Resources from BCSD Counseling Staff

Click here for more information.

Tools and Apps: Resources for Parents

Click here for more information.